I have talked to thousands of people in qualitative research over the years and this truth has always stuck out to me…when people say they “try” to do something it essentially means they don’t do it but would certainly like to think about themselves as someone who would do it.”I try to work out 3 […]
There’s not much more enjoyable on a Saturday morning than drinking coffee and reading the WSJ Weekend Edition. Appropriately last week, I was attracted to a description of a new coffee brewing system showcased in their “Fall’s 50 Best” feature. It was perfect timing as I’ve been thinking about raising my coffee game at home. […]
Have you ever asked yourself the question? Have you ever surprised yourself by something you thought or did? Do you really know who you are?
Of course, we know our names, our histories and our preferences. And is that all that really makes who we are?
You’ve done qualitative research to get insights into your consumers. Maybe you went into their homes or you did focus groups to talk about what’s wrong with the category and what they wish for. You’ve got shopper insights that reveal how they act when they’re in the store. Your R&D department has even created products […]
It’s a widely held attitude that focus groups are for “hearing from the consumer” and the “results” of the groups determine how to proceed with marketing. Well, sort of Actually the marketing team itself has the responsibility of doing the marketing. They’re the ones who decide how to move forward, not the consumer. Conversations with […]
The most powerful brands connect with people like religions do. They have a belief system people want to be part of. They draw people to them. They provide an identity people want to adopt as their own.The thing is, not all brands become religions. Not all brands have that important something that makes people want […]
A powerful brand stands for something people care about. It behaves like a person, with ideals, values and personality people want as their own. Building a brand is about conveying a belief system people will be drawn to in spite of the price.In order to define what can make your brand worth it on a […]
The word “research” doesn’t exactly touch the heart. My immediate associations include ‘cold, scientific, burdensome, necessary, intellectual exercise” — and I’m in the business! In qualitative, we work hard to humanize the endeavor. Dig deeper, be more flexible, more creative. Use interesting techniques that stimulate and reveal tension and emotion. But it still feels like […]
Brands need distinctiveness and relevance to be powerful. Follow these five steps to get there. Stop thinking of the people who buy your product as “consumers.” They’re people, human beings just like you and me. They’re not sitting out there consuming all day: they’re living lives like you are. They’re complex. They have stories, motivations […]
I think consumer segmentation is a great tool. I admire marketers who have the discipline and focus to build brands around segments.But segmentation has a dark side. It causes us to dehumanize people. And when we dehumanize our consumers, our brands suffer.Brands that connect with their consumers on a deeply human level, on the other […]
